


Holding on to Hope

by Church_the_very_much_immortal_cat



Series: Maribat March [10]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Canon Temporary Character Death, Even though he technically didn't die, bio dad bruce wayne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 02:00:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30081759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Church_the_very_much_immortal_cat/pseuds/Church_the_very_much_immortal_cat
Summary: Marinette has a conversation with her Father.For Maribat March Day 14: Death
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Bruce Wayne
Series: Maribat March [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188440
Comments: 3
Kudos: 57
Collections: Maribat March





	Holding on to Hope

Marinette stands in the same spot Tim had probably been however long ago, and starts talking.

“I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, but I just heard.” She let out a bitter chuckle, “They called me halfway through my first class and said that my grandfather was on the phone and that there was a family emergency. It took me a second to realise they were talking about Alfred, even though we all think of him that way, he would never introduce himself as such. Not unless it meant they wouldn’t let him speak to me otherwise. That probably should have been the first of many indicators that something was wrong. And then I actually spoke to Alfred and I don't really think I registered what he said at first.” She smiled sadly, " how could I? I still don't know if it was that I didn't want to believe him or genuinely didn't think there was a possibility he was speaking the truth. "

She fell silent then, a lone tear slowly making its way down her cheek, “when I walked into the cave, I was expecting Cass, Dick and Tim to be preparing for patrol, not Dick lecturing a little kid in a Robin suit. Were you even planning on telling me I had a little brother or were you waiting for one of the others to tell me first?”

She's crying she realises dimly as tears trace their way down her face.

“Who’s apparently Talia al Ghul’s son. He launched himself at me with his katana, screaming, “there’s an intruder in the cave Grayson,” she makes a crying laughing sound, “under any other circumstances it would have probably been funny, but I just stared at Dick in horror and Dick had to grab Damian back by the cape. Said something to him and he stormed off. I just continued to stare. Dick in the Bat suit, was not something I thought I’d ever see again. He’s gonna break y’know, with you gone. The whole family has fallen apart, Cass left for Hong Kong, handing the mantle of Batgirl to Stephanie, I don’t even know what’s going on with Jay, Alfred’s keeping it together but that’s just Alfred, Babs is probably the most level headed right now and Tim-”

She broke off into a sigh, “well, I’m worried about him. Apparently, I witnessed the after effects of Dick giving the Robin mantle to Damian without telling him. That clearly didn’t go well. I have no idea what he was thinking doing that without talking to Tim beforehand, I get his reasoning, I really do but that was a shitty thing to do. I can’t even begin to imagine how he feels-”

She breaks off again a sob escaping her, “Dick sorta caught me up on the things I missed, and I looked through the cave footage, and I’m not the least shocked about Tim’s reaction. I had to call Cassie Sandsmark and Steph to have some idea of what happened, it’s still very vague but it’s all I know. But, the two of them were clear on one thing, he’s leaving to continue his search. Because Dick didn’t believe him, told him they’d put him in Arkham. Honestly, I’m not even sure how it devolved into this mess.”

She sits down facing the grave and after a considerable pause continues, “I’m staying. Mr. Bug can take care of Paris. Dick’s going to need help. They’ve moved out of the Manor, using the penthouse instead. Probably too many painful memories for Alfred and Dick. And I don’t know about Damian. Dick’s signed himself up for a lot with him. I can’t leave him to take care of both Damian and Gotham alone. You might’ve managed it but you’re not exactly a model of mental health either. Maybe me being here will help with Damian’s mindset of being the Batman’s sole heir since he’s the blood son. Doubt Talia told him about the biological daughter. Afterall he had no idea who I was.”

She curls in on herself, sobbing freely, “It isn’t fair. I know Death isn’t fair not that Life is either but I can’t help but feel angry by the unfairness of it all. We still need you. Every single one of us, even if we might never get the chance to tell it to your face.”

"I still need you," she whispers, her voice breaking.

She stops, perhaps her father’s allergy to processing emotions was genetic, “I read Tim’s research or whatever little he had. I think he’s right. I hope he’s right. However, I doubt that he knows for sure either. But I need him to be right. I need you to be back. I need whatever corpse that has been buried in the ground here to be a fake or a clone or, or something,” her voice getting more desperate as she continues, “You can’t be dead. I need my dad.”

She sits there for a little longer, letting out all the tears. Eventually she stands up, pulling herself together and wiping away her tears. Leaving the cemetery hoping her brother’s right and her father’s lost in time.


End file.
